Liberté – Egalité – Fraternité

For a period in the 1880’s Ravachol earned his living as a musician. A contemporary passed down the lyrics to one of his songs.

Children of the same fatherland
Can’t you hear the voice
That cries out for democracy.
To arms against the bourgeoisie.
Let’s fight for independence
And for sacred liberty,
Through the efforts of our might
Let’s transform society.
Why, on this earth,
Do we betray ourselves
When we should love each other as brothers?
Our masters cause disunion;
Let’s chase away authoritarian chiefs
Full of hatred and iniquity.
Peoples, let’s suppress our borders
To the cry of “Long Live Equality!"
In order to establish equality
You need a heart full of hate.
Reduce the bourgeoisie to dust
Them instead of war
We’ll have brotherhood.